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Beyonce Biography
Ask Beyonce what she wants
people to hear when they listen to Dangerously In Love, her debut solo
album, and the multi-platinum-selling pop/urban recording artist answers,
"My range. I want them to hear all of the musical influences from
hip-hop to rock to jazz, there's even a Shuggie Otis sample. I want them
to really hearthe talent.
I know that folks love me as a
pop star. Now I want them to understand me as an artist."
That they will. Musically challenging and lyrically honest, Dangerously In
Love is more than just a solo CD from a superstar. It is everything you'd
expect from Beyonce and more than you could have hoped for. Another side
of someone we've loved for years, Dangerously In Love is equally divided
between seductive mid-tempos, lush ballads and fiery club bangers,
providing a sharp focus on who Beyonce is right now: as a performer, as a
woman, and as a creative force to be reckoned with.
The vibe is more mature, more
playful, more deeply passionate and sexually aggressive. Dangerously In
Love is the sound of a grown woman clearly staking her claim in the world
and, in the process, redefining expectations of who she is.
A
21-year-old Houston native, Beyonce Knowles is a founding member and chief
songwriter of Destiny's Child, one of the biggest selling female acts of
all time. With many of the group's hit songs co-written and co-produced by
Beyonce, Destiny's Child has sold more than 33 million records worldwide.
When Beyonce won the 2001 ASCAP Pop Songwriter Of The Year Award, she
became the first African-American woman -- and the second woman ever -- to
receive that honor.
Led by founding members Beyonce Knowles and Kelly Rowland, Destiny's Child
burst on the scene in 1997 with their multi-platinum single, "No, No,
No," from their self-titled album. That success was dwarfed when
Destiny's Child's The Writing's On The Wall was released in 1999. The
album would go on to sell more than 10 million copies worldwide, driven in
part by three Top 10 hits: "Jumpin, Jumpin," "Say My
Name" and "Bills, Bills, Bills," which spent 9 weeks at #1
on the Billboard RandB singles chart.
A year after Michelle Williams joined Destiny's Child in 2000, the group
recorded Survivor, which debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 album chart.
Survivor was certified double platinum four weeks after its release and
has gone on to sell more than nine million copies worldwide. In 2001
Destiny's Child took home two Grammy awards: Best RandB song ("Say My
Name") and Best RandB performance by a Duo or Group ("Say My
Name"). Destiny's Child has won numerous other awards, among them
Billboard Artist of the year, NAACP Image Awards, American Music Awards,
Nickelodeon Kid's Choice and The Sammy Davis Jr. Award for Entertainer of
the Year at the Soul Train Awards. The group has toured worldwide and
performed at many high profile events including The Michael Jackson 30th
Anniversary Concert Special and the Concert For New York City.
Given
the fact that the general public is so familiar with chart-topping songs
such as "Say My Name," "Independent Woman, Part I" and
"Survivor," it's fair to enquire how Dangerously In Love differs
from a Destiny's Child project. "Naturally the songs on my album are
going to share some similarities," Beyonce admits. "But this
time because I only had to write for myself, my songs are much more
personal. I also wanted beats that were harder and to be able to
collaborate with other people. Basically this record was a chance for me
to grow as a writer and a singer. There are more ballads. The vocals
aren't as precisely produced and because it's just me, there aren't as
many harmonies. The experience was very liberating and therapeutic. I felt
free, because I could go into the studio and talk about whatever I wanted,
but in many ways it was actually harder to be on my own creatively. I
depend so much on Destiny's Child (Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams) to
tell me if they like something or not. I'm so critical of myself that it's
scary to have to depend on your own instincts."
Helping Beyonce trust those instincts are an impressive array of musical
collaborators, among them Missy Elliot, Jay-Z, Sean Paul, Mark Batson,
Mario Winans, D-Roy and Mr. B, OutKast's Big Boi, Rich Harrison, Fanatic,
Scott Storch, and the legendary Luther Vandross on "The Closer I Get
To You." Beyonce shares co-executive producer credits on Dangerously
In Love with her father and manager Mathew Knowles. She took an active
role in all aspects of the album: from writing and choosing material to
producing, mastering and mixing the tracks. Beyonce pays tribute to her
father on the hidden bonus track, "Daddy," which was produced by
Beyonce and Mark Batson.
The sexy first single, "Crazy In Love," featuring Jay-Z, was
co-produced by Beyonce and Rich Harrison. Jay-Z returns the favor for
Beyonce's part on his hit "Bonnie and Clyde 03." With a beat
that Beyonce says is "so hard it makes your heart hurt!,"
"Crazy In Love" is about that moment when you realize you're
falling into love and looking crazy but you simply don't care. The abandon
continues on "Speechless," produced by Fanatic. "As soon as
I heard the track it inspired me," she admits. "It's very sexy,
very sensual. The sort of ballad that I've never done before. This song is
definitely a population increaser!"
Laced
with an Arabic ambience, fused with a ghetto-fied edge and encompassing a
sample from Donna Summer's "Love to Love You Baby,"
"Naughty Girl" is uptempo and party perfect: a sexy fantasy
about having that one night where you lose all your inhibitions, head to
theclub and work it like a naughty girl. "Many of the songs on the
album examine aspects of relationships, and this is one element."
Also sexy is the dancehall-Arabic flavored "Baby Boy," featuring
the red hot Sean Paul. "I knew Sean had to be on my album because I
love his approach," she says. "'Baby Boy' is another song about
a fantasy and it's one of my favorites."
Such unabashed and upfront emotions might come as a surprise to long time
fans but make no mistake, Dangerously In Love isn't a rejection of DC's
sound. "I love Destiny's Child and I am a member of the group,
"she asserts. "We haven't broken up. We're going to continue to
tour and record and be a group. We've recorded a song, 'I Know,' for
"The Fighting Temptations" soundtrack. We all decided a long
time back to explore solo projects and I'm the third member of the group
to release my own record. Things like working apart keep the fire going
and keep the fans eager for you. I'm not trying to get away from DC or the
legacy we have. I just wanted to show a different approach and the growth
I've experienced. "
That
growth is evident in Beyonce's burgeoning acting career. In 2001 she
starred in MTV's "Carmen." In 2002 she appeared as Foxy
Cleopatra in "Austin Powers in Goldmember." This year she will
co-star with Cuba Gooding Jr. in "The Fighting Temptations." She
has two more features currently in production and can also be seen on the
small screen in a series of Spike Lee-directed commercials for Pepsi-Cola.
She is also the spokesperson for L'Oreal.
Beyonce Links
Beyonce
Knowles Website
Beyonce
, Destiny's Child Website |
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